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Preparing for First Eucharist was developed for teachers and catechists of First Communion or First Eucharist preparation programs to supplement the formation of Children preparing for the reception of the Eucharist. It is intended to help teach children to participate actively, fully, and fruitfully in the Eucharist celebration. The activities in this book correlate to the Catechism of the Catholic Church and to Sacramentum Caritatis. (The exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI) Grades 1-3

Activities for the Advent season. The author gives special instructions for use with simple, average, and advanced skill levels. This book can be used as a coloring book, an activity book to make Advent decorations, or an activity book to make and Advent chain. Could also be used by parents to help make Advent a special time of year at home. Grades K-2

In this New York Times bestselling memoir, Ray Lewis—legendary Baltimore Ravens linebacker and one of the greatest defensive players of his generation—holds nothing back on the state of football as well as his troubled childhood, his rise to athletic greatness, the storm that threatened to ruin his NFL career, and the devastating injury that nearly cost him a final moment of glory.

Ray Lewis is undeniably one of the biggest names in football—not only for his seventeen years in the NFL, but also for the dramatic events that nearly brought his career to a halt in 2000. In his memoir, Lewis shares honest accounts of his difficult childhood and delves into the anguish and controversy that he found away from the game. But these heartbreaks gave him the courage to trust in God and continue his dream to play for the NFL and win the Super Bowl.

From a rookie player to a football veteran, Lewis has experienced everything imaginable during his football career, and has become one of the best defensive players in the history of the NFL. I Feel Like Going On is the story of his incredible journey, and a sincere look at the most popular sport in America from one of football’s most revered players.

If you're not daring to believe God for the impossible, you may be sleeping through some of the best parts of your Christian Life.

This book is not a Snuggie. The words on these pages will not go down like Ambien. I’m not writing to calm or coddle you. With God’s help, I intend to incite a riot in your mind. Trip your breakers and turn out the lights in your favorite hiding places of insecurity and fear. Then flip the switch back on so that God’s truth can illuminate the divine destiny that may have been lying dormant inside you for years. In short, I’m out to activate your audacious faith. To inspire you to ask God for the impossible. And in the process, to reconnect you with your God-sized purpose and potential.—STEVEN FURTICK, from Sun Stand Still

“Steven Furtick challenges all of us—from the missionary in the third world to the family in the suburbs—to believe God for the impossible and begin living a life of faith beyond the ordinary.” —ANDY STANLEY, senior pastor, North Point Community Church

“For too long Christians have embraced a miniscule vision of faith.… Steven Furtick reminds us that the God who accomplished the impossible through the great heroes of faith still desires to do the same through us today.”—JENTEZEN FRANKLIN, senior pastor, Free Chapel

“This book will show you that your hopes and expectations are truly just the beginning of what God can do.” —ED YOUNG, senior pastor, Fellowship Church

What if our beliefs were not what divided us, but what pulled us together In Have a Little Faith, Mitch Albom offers a beautifully written story of a remarkable eight-year journey between two worlds--two men, two faiths, two communities--that will inspire readers everywhere. Albom's first nonfiction book since Tuesdays with Morrie, Have a Little Faith begins with an unusual request: an eighty-two-year-old rabbi from Albom's old hometown asks him to deliver his eulogy. Feeling unworthy, Albom insists on understanding the man better, which throws him back into a world of faith he'd left years ago. Meanwhile, closer to his current home, Albom becomes involved with a Detroit pastor--a reformed drug dealer and convict--who preaches to the poor and homeless in a decaying church with a hole in its roof. Moving between their worlds, Christian and Jewish, African-American and white, impoverished and well-to-do, Albom observes how these very different men employ faith similarly in fighting for survival: the older, suburban rabbi embracing it as death approaches; the younger, inner-city pastor relying on it to keep himself and his church afloat. As America struggles with hard times and people turn more to their beliefs, Albom and the two men of God explore issues that perplex modern man: how to endure when difficult things happen; what heaven is; intermarriage; forgiveness; doubting God; and the importance of faith in trying times. Although the texts, prayers, and histories are different, Albom begins to recognize a striking unity between the two worlds--and indeed, between beliefs everywhere. In the end, as the rabbi nears death and a harsh winter threatens the pastor's wobbly church, Albom sadly fulfills the rabbi's last request and writes the eulogy. And he finally understands what both men had been teaching all along: the profound comfort of believing in something bigger than yourself. Have a Little Faith is a book about a life's purpose; about losing belief and finding it again; about the divine spark inside us all. It is one man's journey, but it is everyone's story. Ten percent of the profits from this book will go to charity, including The Hole In The Roof Foundation, which helps refurbish places of worship that aid the homeless.

In The Satanic Bible, Anton LaVey has explained the philosophy of Satanism more profoundly than any of his ancestors in the Kingdom of Darkness, while describing in detail the innovative rituals and trappings he has devised to create a church of realists. It has been clear from the first edition that many people want to read this book to learn how to start Satanic groups and ritualize black magic. The Satanic Bible and The Satanic Rituals are the only books that have demonstrated, in a way that is authentic and true to relevant traditions,how all of that can be done. There have been many imitators, never attributing their source,and with good reason; because once the shabbiness and shallowness of the imitators have been compared to LaVey's pioneering work, there can no longer be any market for the ripoff artists.

The evidence is clear to any who are willing to view the record: Anton LaVey brought Satan out of the closet and the Church of Satan is the fountainhead of contemporary Satanism. This book summarizes the message both convey, and remains both challenge and inspiration, as timely today as when it was written.

Today is the day you choose . . . which game you want to win, which prize you want to collect, which priorities you want to set.

It’s a thrill to win at checkers or Clue or Trivial Pursuit. You sweep aside the other players and you “own” the board. It’s also a thrill to win a promotion at work … the new house you wanted … that sports car you’ve always eyed. But just like the game cards, the tokens, and the timer, those prizes are temporary. When the game is over, they all go back in the box.

Games can cast a powerful spell, says bestselling author John Ortberg. But the wisest player remembers that the game is always going to end. So what can we take with us to the kingdom of God? Only the love we have for Christ, the love we have for each other, and our own souls. While it’s not bad to be good at chess or Risk—or the game of life on Earth—we can’t allow it to get in the way of what really matters.

Using his humor and his genius for storytelling, Ortberg helps you focus on the real rules of the game and how to set your priorities. When the Game Is Over, It All Goes Back in the Box Participant’s Guide helps explain how, left to our own devices, we tend to seek out worldly things, mistakenly thinking they will bring us fulfillment. But everything on Earth belongs to God. Everything we “own” is just on loan. And what pleases God is often 180 degrees from what we may think is important.

In the six sessions you will learn how to:

Live passionately and boldlyLearn how to be active players in the game that pleases GodFind your true mission and offer your bestFill each square on the board with what matters mostSeek the richness of being instead of the richness of having

You can’t beat the house, notes Ortberg. We’re playing our game of life on a giant board called a calendar. Time will always run out, so it’s a good thing to live a life that delights your Creator. When everything goes back in the box, you’ll have made what is temporary a servant to what is eternal, and you’ll leave this life knowing you’ve achieved the only victory that matters.

Sessions include:

When the Game Is Over It All Goes Back in the BoxKeeping Score Where It Really CountsResign as Master of the BoardCalling or Comfort? Choose Your Move WiselyPlaying the Game with Greatness and GraceThe Kingdom Has One More Move

Designed for use with When the Game Is Over It All Goes Back in the Box DVD 9780310808244 (sold separately).

Anne Lamott claims the two best prayers she knows are: "Help me, help me, help me" and "Thank you, thank you, thank you." She has a friend whose morning prayer each day is "Whatever," and whose evening prayer is "Oh, well." Anne thinks of Jesus as "Casper the friendly savior" and describes God as "one crafty mother."

Despite--or because of--her irreverence, faith is a natural subject for Anne Lamott. Since Operating Instructions and Bird by Bird, her fans have been waiting for her to write the book that explained how she came to the big-hearted, grateful, generous faith that she so often alluded to in her two earlier nonfiction books. The people in Anne Lamott's real life are like beloved characters in a favorite series for her readers--her friend Pammy, her son, Sam, and the many funny and wise folks who attend her church are all familiar. And Traveling Mercies is a welcome return to those lives, as well as an introduction to new companions Lamott treats with the same candor, insight, and tenderness.

Lamott's faith isn't about easy answers, which is part of what endears her to believers as well as nonbelievers. Against all odds, she came to believe in God and then, even more miraculously, in herself. As she puts it, "My coming to faith did not start with a leap but rather a series of staggers." At once tough, personal, affectionate, wise, and very funny, Traveling Mercies tells in exuberant detail how Anne Lamott learned to shine the light of faith on the darkest part of ordinary life, exposing surprising pockets of meaning and hope.

"The End of Faith articulates the dangers and absurdities of organized religion so fiercely and so fearlessly that I felt relieved as I read it, vindicated....Harris writes what a sizable number of us think, but few are willing to say."—Natalie Angier, ?New York Times In ?The End of Faith?, Sam Harris delivers a startling analysis of the clash between reason and religion in the modern world. He offers a vivid, historical tour of our willingness to suspend reason in favor of religious beliefs—even when these beliefs inspire the worst human atrocities. While warning against the encroachment of organized religion into world politics, Harris draws on insights from neuroscience, philosophy, and Eastern mysticism to deliver a call for a truly modern foundation for ethics and spirituality that is both secular and humanistic. Winner of the 2005 PEN/Martha Albrand Award for Nonfiction.

In this book of 101 inspirational stories, contributors share their personal angel experiences of faith, miracles, and answered prayers, which will amaze and inspire you.

Celestial, otherworldly, heavenly. Whatever the term, sometimes there is no earthly explanation for what we experience, and a higher power is clearly at work. You will be awed and inspired by these true personal stories from people, religious and non-religious, about hope, healing, and help from angels.

It is not by accident that you just picked up When God Winks. Whether you call it synchronicity or coincidence, what brought you to this book today is worth remembering. In fact, you may have suspected all along that there is more to coincidence than meets the eye. These seemingly random events are actually signposts that can help you successfully navigate your career, relationships, and interests. SQuire Rushnell shows us that by recognizing our "God Winks," we can use the untapped power of coincidence to vastly improve our lives. The author applies his compelling theory as to why coincidences exist to fascinating stories in history, sports, medicine, and relationships involving both everyday and famous people including Barbra Streisand, Charles Schulz, Oprah Winfrey, Kevin Costner, Mark Twain, and Presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.

Stephenie Meyer's bestselling Twilight saga took the young adult fiction world by storm. Although by no means dominant or even particularly overt, Meyer's use of religion nonetheless provides for some intriguing interpretive possibilities. Topics from young love, to abstinence, to the value of family and friends are infused in the stories. Love as an agent of change and a motivational impulse for self-sacrifice also receives significant emphasis. Could Eve and Mary be a pattern for Bella? What about Edward--could he be seen as a Christ-figure? From Twilight to Breaking Dawn assists readers in thinking about the religious themes and images found throughout the Twilight saga. A single Twilight character or issue is discussed in each chapter and concludes with discussion questions for individual or group study. This book includes ideas from Judaism, Protestantism, Catholicism, and Mormonism. From Twilight to Breaking Dawn is perfect for parents wanting to discuss these books with their children or for Twilight lovers interested in pursuing the deeper meaning that lies at the heart of these books.

Marianne Williamson's bestselling A Return to Love ended with a prayer in which she asked God to help us "find our way home, from the pain to peace, from fear to love, from hell to Heaven." Now, in this stunning new collection of thoughts, prayers, and rites of passage, Marianne Williamson returns to prayer.

Prayer is practical, Williamson tells us. "To look to God is to look to the realm of consciousness that can deliver us from the pain of living." Illuminata brings prayer into our daily lives, with prayers on topics from releasing anger to finding forgiveness, from finding great love to achieving intimacy. There are prayers for couples, for parents, and for children; prayers to mend broken relationships and prayers to overcome obsessive and compulsive love. There are prayers to heal the soul, prayers to heal the body, and prayers for work and creativity.

Williamson also gives us prayers for the healing of America, including two prayers that have had powerful effects on audiences at her lectures: a prayer of amends on behalf of European Americans to African-Americans and one to Native Americans. How, Williamson asks, can we expect anyone to forgive when we have made no formal apology?

Another section includes rites of passage, ceremonies of light for the signal events in our lives: blessing of the newborn, coming of age, marriage, and death. There is also a ceremony of the elder, for moving into midlife, and a ceremony of divorce, in which a gentle transition is provided for both the couple and their children.

"Read my prayers or someone else's," Williamson says. "By all means, create your own." Illuminata is a way to bring prayer into practical use, creating a sweeter, more abundant life for yourself and the people you care for. "No conventional therapy," she says, "can release us from a deep and abiding psychic pain. Through prayer we find what we cannot find elsewhere: a peace that is not of this world."

Parents and students sacrifice large sums of money for a Christian college education. Why? They are purchasing a guarantee their child's faith in God and the Bible will be guarded and developed. But is the Bible being taught? Will they graduate believing in the inerrancy of Scripture, the Flood of Noah's Day, and a literal six day creation?

Apologetics powerhouse Ken Ham and Dr. Greg Hall reveal an eye opening assessment of 200 Christian colleges and universities. In an unprecedented 2010 study by America Research Group, college presidents, religion and science department heads were polled on critical areas of Scripture and core faith questions.

Ken Ham is an accomplished author of some of the most popular and effective apologetics research on the market. He is the founder of Answers in Genesis - U.S. and the president of the Creation Museum.

I have no doubt that the average church member would be shocked and outraged to discover how many supposedly evangelical colleges and universities have more or less given up their commitment to biblical inerrancy and the authority of Scripture—especially when dealing with the early chapters of Genesis. I’m grateful for this important work by Ken Ham and Greg Hall, documenting the many compromises that have ravaged the Christian academy. Already Compromised is a much needed wake-up call and a summons to arms for faithful, courageous Bible believers. We need to stand up, declare our faith, and defend the truth of Scripture courageously. The stakes are high and the battle may be more fierce than ever, but God will bless those who honor His Word. May He bless us with clear, unwavering voices.

This Little Black Book is your companion for Lent 2015. It’s an old-fashioned “vade mecum” (pronounced vahday maykum). That’s Latin for “travel with me” and was used to describe a book that was a constant companion – perhaps a condensed book of prayers for traveling priests, or a handbook for quick reference – something you could take with you anywhere.

The right-hand pages walk through Luke’s passion narrative, a few verses at a time, with explanations and reflections along the way. It’s an ancient way of praying the Scriptures – called lectio divina.

The left-hand page has a variety of quotes, information, and timely thoughts. Treat it like a buffet table from which you can take what you like. (If pressed for time, go directly to the right-hand page and spend your time there.) On Sundays and on various left-hand pages, we’ll especially call to mind the poor this Lenten season, remembering Pope Francis’ words that “(a)mong our tasks as witnesses to the love of Christ is that of giving a voice to the cry of the poor.”

We won’t start reading the Gospels until Ash Wednesday. But we’ll start the six-minute program on Sunday, February 15 (the Sunday before Ash Wednesday), which will give us three days to get ready for Lent.

Your marriage is much more than a union between you and your spouse. It is a spiritual discipline ideally suited to help you know God more fully and intimately. Sacred Marriage shifts the focus from marital enrichment to spiritual enrichment in ways that can help you love your mate more. Whether it is delightful or difficult, your marriage can become a doorway to a closer walk with God. Everything about your marriage—everything from the history you and your spouse create, to the love you share, to the forgiveness you both offer and seek by turn—is filled with the capacity to help you grow in Christ's character. This six-session, small group DVD curriculum will equip you to love God more passionately, reflect the nature of his Son more precisely, and fulfill God's overarching purpose for your marriage.

BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Karen Armstrong's Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life.

In this stunningly intelligent book, Karen Armstrong, one of Britain's foremost commentators on religious affairs, traces the history of how men and women have perceived and experienced God, from the time of Abraham to the present. From classical philsophy and medieval mysticism to the Reformation, the Enlightenment, and the modern age of skepticism, Karen Armstrong performs the near miracle of distilling the intellectual history of monotheism into one superbly readable volume, destined to take its place as a classic.

'When the wheel of sexual ecstasy is in full motion, there is no textbook at all, and no order.' The Kamasutra is the oldest extant Hindu textbook of erotic love. It is about the art of living - about finding a partner, maintaining power in a marriage, committing adultery, living as or with a courtesan, using drugs - and also about the positions in sexual intercourse. It was composed in Sanskrit, the literary language of ancient India, sometime in the third century CE. It combines an encyclopaedic coverage of all imaginable aspects of sex with a closely observed sexual psychology and a dramatic, novelistic narrative of seduction, consummation, and disentanglement. Best known in English through the highly mannered, padded, and inaccurate nineteenth-century translation of Sir Richard Burton, the text is presented here in an entirely new translation into clear, vivid, sexually frank English, together with three commentaries: translated excerpts from the earliest and most famous Sanskrit commentary (13th century) and from a twentieth-century Hindi commentary, and explanatory notes by the two translators. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

You were born to make an impact in this world and you know it. You feel it deep down in your bones. Apathy is your nemesis and your hunger to change the world keeps you up at night. But no matter how deep this hunger growls, we can only make a meaningful impact if we are rooted in Jesus. And here’s the thing:

God is not interested in developing your vision first. He is interested in developing you.

In Rooted, Banning Liebscher takes us to the life of David to show how God expands our root system in the hidden places before leading us to where we all desire to go, the visible world. It was in a field of prayerful devotion, a season of serving, and a cave of community that God prepared David for his crown, the same way God prepares us. Take a look at your own life. Are you embracing God’s process, the sometimes painstaking and maddening process? When we can release ourselves to God we will find that we can thrive while He develops us, rather than succumb to discouragement.

Whatever your age or season of life, it takes immense courage to slow down enough to let God grow a root system in your life so that you can bear fruit that remains. You are where you are because God has planted you there. Discover what it looks like to embrace His process so you can do what He has called you to, change the world.

Everyone loves a good miracle story and these 101 true stories of healing, divine intervention, and answered prayers will inspire Christians and renew their faith.

These 101 true stories of healing, divine intervention, and answered prayers prove that God is alive and very active in the world today, working miracles on our behalf. Regular people share their personal stories of God's Divine intervention and healing power as He makes the impossible possible! Evidence of His love and involvement in our lives will encourage, uplift, and recharge the faith of Catholic and all Christian readers.

This Little Book will be your companion, and you can take it with you wherever you wish. The left-hand page is like a buffet table with a variety of thoughts about the Advent and Christmas seasons, the feast of the day, or various traditions and customs. The key is the right-hand page where we’ll reflect on a Gospel passage. This year, the Little Blue Book will use the Gospel passages assigned for the weekday Masses of these seasons. This will give many people a chance to reflect on and pray passages from all of the Gospels that they may have seldom heard proclaimed or preached about at liturgy.

"Faith is not just meant for church on Sunday," contends Mark Cosgrove. "Faith and learning are interwoven with each other for the full functioning of the human mind." A book that details this interconnection between faith and learning, Foundations of Christian Thought encourages readers to view the Christian faith and worldview as relevant to everything they read, study, and consider.

In part 1, Cosgrove explores the relationship between faith and learning and how an underlying worldview can influence one's beliefs. Part 2 describes and tests five major worldviews competing with Christian theism, including naturalism, secular humanism, atheistic existentialism, pantheism, and the New Age movement. The last part probes the Christian worldview in more detail by analyzing the challenges it faces and how it is lived out day-to-day.

An educator on the college campus for thirty years, Cosgrove testifies to how well the Christian worldview relates with the current needs and ideas in American culture. Through Foundations of Christian Thought, high school and college students will begin to see how the Christian worldview is relevant to what they are studying in the classroom and the decisions they make. Readers in the workforce and elsewhere will learn to relate their faith to modern worldviews in our culture.

This forty-year-old Christian classic and bestseller is a study group favorite; this book challenges readers’ conventional views about God and encourages them to search for a meaningful redefinition of a higher power that is relevant to contemporary existence.

Your God is Too Small is a groundbreaking work of faith, which challenges the constraints of traditional religion. In his discussion of God, author J.B. Phillips encourages Christians to redefine their understanding of a creator without labels or earthly constraints and instead search for a meaningful concept of God. Phillips explains that the trouble facing many of us today is that we have not found a God big enough for our modern needs. In a world where our experience of life has grown in myriad directions and our mental horizons have been expanded to the point of bewilderment by world events and scientific discoveries, our ideas of God have remained largely static. This inspirational work tackles tough topics and inspires readers to reevaluate and connect more deeply with a God that is relevant to current experience and big enough to command respect and admiration.

The urgent need for prayer in today’s broken world is clear, but busyness still keeps many of us from finding time to pray. So Bill Hybels offers us his practical, time-tested ideas on slowing down to pray.

In this four-session video Bible study (DVD/digital video sold separately) based on Hybels’s classic book on prayer, Too Busy Not to Pray calls both young and old to make prayer a priority, broadening the vision for what our eternal, powerful God does when his people slow down to pray.

In Too Busy Not to Pray, you and your small group will learn:

The importance of a consistent time and place for prayerHow to organize prayers according to tried-and-true frameworksHow to hear the Spirit’s promptingsTo love prayer time

Hybels helps you slow down, listen to God, and learn how to respond. As a result, you will grow closer to God and experience the benefits of spending time with him.

What is true faith? In The Power of Kingdom Faith, Dr. Myles Munroe strips away the common errors and misconceptions surrounding faith to reveal the nature, character, and power of true faith, or, Kingdom faith. Kingdom faith trusts not in the promises of God but in the God who promises; seeks not the blessings of God, but the God who blesses. Kingdom faith will always be tested, but because it places its trust in the King of the universe, will always prevail under testing. Kingdom faith, therefore is a triumphant faith that will overcome the world.

Despite the recent ferocious public debate about belief, the concept most central to the discussion—God—frequently remains vaguely and obscurely described. Are those engaged in these arguments even talking about the same thing? In a wide-ranging response to this confusion, esteemed scholar David Bentley Hart pursues a clarification of how the word “God” functions in the world’s great theistic faiths.

Ranging broadly across Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Vedantic and Bhaktic Hinduism, Sikhism, and Buddhism, Hart explores how these great intellectual traditions treat humanity’s knowledge of the divine mysteries. Constructing his argument around three principal metaphysical “moments”—being, consciousness, and bliss—the author demonstrates an essential continuity between our fundamental experience of reality and the ultimate reality to which that experience inevitably points.

Thoroughly dismissing such blatant misconceptions as the deists' concept of God, as well as the fundamentalist view of the Bible as an objective historical record, Hart provides a welcome antidote to simplistic manifestoes. In doing so, he plumbs the depths of humanity’s experience of the world as powerful evidence for the reality of God and captures the beauty and poetry of traditional reflection upon the divine.

This Little Black Book is your companion for Lent 2016. It’s an old-fashioned “vade mecum” (pronounced vahday maykum). That’s Latin for “travel with me” and was used to describe a book that was a constant companion – perhaps a condensed book of prayers for traveling priests, or a handbook for quick reference – something you could take with you anywhere.

When the Bible talks about the gift of a new heart, it doesn't mean a heart that is immediately perfected, but a heart that is capable of being changed. Jesus' work on the cross targets our hearts, our core desires and motivations, and when our hearts change, our behavior changes. It's amazing to watch people who once seemed stuck in a pattern of words, choices, and behaviors start living in a new way as Christ changes their hearts.

Everyone’s "faith story" is different. In the book, people of Christian and Jewish faiths share their personal stories about this life-changing and powerful event, providing inspiration and encouragement to readers.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Finding My Faith is filled with inspiring stories about the number of ways people discover, or rediscover, their faith -- whether it’s Christian or Jewish. The inspirational and powerful stories will touch the hearts and souls of readers.

Getting the most out of Bible reading time just got easier. This handy guide is small in size but big on information. Author Terry Glaspey addresses the top questions people have about the Bible, presents a 90-day reading plan, and eases the intimidation factor as he shares verses for comfort, peace, and grace 7 ways Scripture helps us know God a 5-minute synopsis of the entire Bible 8 tools to get the most out of each reading 66 short summaries of each book of the Bible

For avid Bible readers or those curious about the bestselling book of all time, this resource opens up the wonder, power, and message of the Bible in new ways.

Pastor Jim Cymbala calls us back to a fiery, passionate preoccupation with God that will restore what the enemy has stolen from us: our first love for Jesus, our zeal, our troubled children, our wounded marriages, our broken and divided churches.Born out of the heart and soul of The Brooklyn Tabernacle, the message of Fresh Faith is illustrated by true stories of men and women whose lives have been changed through the power of faith. Cymbala writes, “Real faith is produced when our hearts draw near to God himself and receive his promises deep within.”That kind of faith can transform your life—starting today, if you choose.“Jim Cymbala is an exciting reminder of God’s desire to bless and use any faithful and trusting follower of our Lord in supernatural ways.”—Dr. Bill Bright, Founder and President, Campus Crusade for Christ International

Imagine today’s top Catholic authors, apologists, and theologians. Now imagine 12 of them collaborating on a book that answers common questions about and challenges to the teachings and doctrines of the Catholic Church. Imagine no more, it’s a reality.

Scripture & the Mystery of the Family of God, edited by Dr. Scott Hahn and Leon J. Suprenant, with the forward by Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, will help Catholics and non-Catholics alike develop a better understanding of the Church. Each chapter goes to the heart of its topic, presenting the teachings of the Church in a clear, concise, and insightful way. The teachings on Mary, the Eucharist, Baptism, and Purgatory are explained in light of the relationship of God the Father to us.

Scripture & the Mystery of the Family of God is bound to become an apologetics classic.

About the Catholic for a Reason Series: This benchmark series brings together the expert knowledge and personal insight of today’s top Catholic apologists on topics at the heart of the Catholic faith. Whether you’re a non-Catholic who wants to learn about the Church’s teaching, or a Catholic who wants to become a more articulate defender of the faith, the Catholic for a Reason series is for you.

First published in 1976, Paul Johnson’s exceptional study of Christianity has been loved and widely hailed for its intensive research, writing, and magnitude—“a tour de force, one of the most ambitious surveys of the history of Christianity ever attempted and perhaps the most radical” (New York Review of Books).

In a highly readable companion to books on faith and history, the scholar and author Johnson has illuminated the Christian world and its fascinating history in a way that no other has. Johnson takes off in the year 49 with his namesake the apostle Paul. Thus beginning an ambitious quest to paint the centuries since the founding of a little-known ‘Jesus Sect’, A History of Christianity explores to a great degree the evolution of the Western world. With an unbiased and overall optimistic tone, Johnson traces the fantastic scope of the consequent sects of Christianity and the people who followed them. Information drawn from extensive and varied sources from around the world makes this history as credible as it is reliable. Invaluable understanding of the framework of modern Christianity—and its trials and tribulations throughout history—has never before been contained in such a captivating work.

"It is utterly crucial that in our darkness we affirm the wise, strong hand of God to hold us, even when we have no strength to hold him." John Piper

Even the most faithful, focused Christians can encounter periods of depression and spiritual darkness when joy seems to stay just out of reach. It can happen because of sin, satanic assault, distressing circumstances, or hereditary and other physical causes. In When the Darkness Will Not Lift, John Piper aims to give some comfort and guidance to those experiencing spiritual darkness.

Readers will gain insight into the physical side of depression and spiritual darkness, what it means to wait on the Lord in a time of darkness, how unconfessed sin can clog our joy, and how to minister to others who are living without light. Piper uses real-life examples and sensitive narrative to show readers abundant reason to hope that God will pull them out of the pit of despair and into the light once again.

A sensitive and realistic look at the spiritual life and practices of the Amish

This second book by the authors of the award-winning Amish Grace sheds further light on the Amish, this time on their faith, spirituality, and spiritual practices. They interpret the distinctive practices of the Amish way of life and spirituality in their cultural context and explore their applicability for the wider world. Using a holistic perspective, the book tells the story of Amish religious experience in the words of the Amish themselves. Due to their long-standing friendships and relationships with Amish people, this author team may be the only set of interpreters able to provide an outsider-insider perspective.

Provides a behind-the-scenes examination of Amish spiritual life Shows how the Amish practices can be applied to the wider world Written by authors with unprecedented access to the Amish community

Written in a lively and engaging style, The Amish Way holds appeal for anyone who has wanted to know more about the inner workings of the Amish way of life.

Ever since the days of the apostles Paul and James, Christians have struggled to define the proper tension between faith and works. Salvation, Paul stresses is "not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9). But James argues, "Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works" (2:18).

In his characteristic compelling style Dr. MacArthur reconciles these two seemingly divergent threads of biblical truth, taking on the difficult questions head on:

What is cheap grace? Have some Christians adopted a "no-lordship" theology? What must a person do to be considered righteous by God? Do our works have any affect on our salvation?

Jesus asked his followers, "Why do you call me Lord and not do the things that I tell you to?" When John MacArthur dared in his earlier book to ask us this question, critics accused him of shelving grace. Others read the same book and heard in it the identical message preached since the founding of the Church.

"The Gospel According to the Apostles is the same gospel Jesus preached," Dr. MacArthur says, "but it differs dramatically from the diluted message popular today. I pray you'll find this book an encouragement as you seek to put your own faith to work."

This interdisciplinary conversation combines educational theory with Bible scholarship to help teachers of the Bible move beyond conveying information to revealing the transformative power of the scripture.

This 7 chapter book explains basic topics such as belief in God; the history and writing of the Bible; the person of Jesus; the nature of salvation and more. All presented in an easy to understand approach suitable for those less familiar with the Bible or the Christian religion.

#1 Belief in God - This first chapter in the series reviews the reasons why Christians believe in a Supreme Being. This idea is looked at from both a philosophical and theological perspective.

#2 The Christian Religion - In this lesson we will examine the Christian religion and see how it compares to the other major religions in the world.

#3 The Bible - This lesson examines the history of Bible authorship, how the Bible was organized into its present form, and some key reasons why Christians believe that it is inspired by God.

#4 Jesus Christ - The Christian faith is based on the person of Jesus Christ. In this lesson we will look closely at this person in order to more clearly define His true nature and character.

#5 Salvation - This lesson lays out the simple yet powerful plan that God has initiated to save mankind from eternal condemnation due to personal sin and how Jesus Christ fits in to this plan of salvation.

#6 The Church - The church is the physical presence of Jesus Christ in the world today. In this lesson we will examine the New Testament in order to determine what the inspired text says the church should be like and how it should function.

#7 The Christian Lifestyle - A final lesson describing the new motivation and lifestyle that God has designed for those who are followers of Jesus Christ.

Change is an often uncomfortable and disruptive force -- yet nothing is more inevitable than the necessity of adapting to new circumstances. Whether it's leaving home, moving to a new city, getting married, having children, changing jobs, losing a parent, or retiring, we face many major transitions throughout our lives.Taking its inspiration from the familiar scripture passage of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (For everything there is a season...), A Faith For All Seasons explores how a vital relationship with Jesus Christ is essential for coping with the constant flux of contemporary life. When radical changes rock our world, the Lord guides and comforts us -- and gives us the security to face the future with confidence.This eight-session study resource includes thought-provoking stories and personal anecdotes, prayers, scripture study, discussion questions, and other small-group activities, all designed to foster a deeper understanding of how our Christian faith can help us endure, survive, and even thrive amidst the turbulent waters of change -- because we are in the loving arms of a God who never changes!Sessions include: * Life Is Change* Dealing with the Changes of Growing Up* Dealing with the Changes of Growing Older* Change Happens When Families Grow* Change Happens When Families Decrease in Size* Changing Cities, Changing Jobs, Changing Churches* As the World Turns: Changes in Our Culture* The Future!Steven Molin is the senior pastor of Our Savior's Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Stillwater, Minnesota. He has also served parishes in Oregon and South Dakota, and been an area director for the youth ministry organization Young Life. Molin is the author of Journey Of Stones (CSS). He is a graduate of Concordia University (St. Paul, Minnesota) and Luther Theological Seminary.

You received a phone call out of the blue; or you bumped into someone who led you to a new job, a new relationship, or opportunity that totally changed your life. You probably even said, “Wow, what a coincidence I met so and so.” But did you ever stop to ask what caused that person to be right there, at that exact moment, in your path? It was Divine Alignment: the arrangement of coincidences into a pattern of alignment so astonishing they could have come only from a higher source.

In this inspiring new work, SQuire Rushnell shows readers how they can navigate life’s thorniest hurdles, rediscover the deep meaning and impact of personal prayer, and develop the individual conviction and wherewithal it takes to reach their full potential and fulfill their most ambitious dreams by honoring the book’s seven easy-to-follow steps.

In his charmingly avuncular and wonderfully optimistic voice, SQuire shares moving stories from his own and others’ lives to show the awesome strength inherent in what he calls God’s Positioning System, or GPS. All of us, he assures readers, can use our own personal GPS to grow more closely aligned with God to become vastly more effective, successful, and fulfilled in our relationships, careers, and everything we do.

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DIVINE ALIGNMENT offers a comprehensive approach for living our lives in harmony with God—every minute of every day—offering a whole new paradigm for understanding the mysterious connections between people and events, challenges and solutions.

Does God still speak today? If so, how can I hear Him? THE ANSWER TO BOTH QUESTIONS IS YES. God is always speaking. He has many ways to speak to His children. In Prophetic Gatekeepers we will learn the many avenues by which God speaks with His children. PROPHETIC GATEKEEPERS Prophetic Gatekeepers is a catalyst to traveling to unknown places with God in the Spirit on our knees. It prepares our heart and mind to commune with God as He unlocks the doors of Heaven secrets and releases Kingdom blessing. What you will discover in Prophetic Gatekeepers: • Learn God’s language of communicating. • What is an audible voice? Is there a secret to hearing the voice of God? • Discover how to decree and declare Kingdom principles for your destiny and others. • Learn how to effectively guard your post as a gatekeeper. • Learn how God uses different ways to get your attention: vision, dream and nudging. - Dr. Veronica Crim - Gathering of the Nations International Ministries “This is a powerful book that will inspire intercessors and believers alike to reposition themselves in prayer to truly hear the heart of God.”

Seen or unseen, angels are all around us. In this collection of 101 miraculous stories of faith, divine intervention, and answered prayers, real people share their incredible experiences with angels and the many ways they touch our lives.

You only have to look to find the angels in your life. These divine guides, guardian angels, and heavenly messengers help and guide us when we need it most. You will be awed and inspired by these true personal stories from religious and non-religious, about hope, healing, and help from angels.

“Abide in me,” Jesus tells us, “and you will bear much fruit.” Yet too often we forget that fruit needs different seasons in order to grow. We measure our spiritual maturity by how much we do rather than how we are responding to our current spiritual season.In Spiritual Rhythm, Mark Buchanan replaces our spirituality of busyness with a spirituality of abiding. Sometimes we are busy, sometimes still, sometimes pushing with all we’ve got, sometimes waiting. This model of the spiritual life measures and produces growth by asking: Are we living in rhythm with the season we are in? With the lyrical writing for which he is known, Mark invites us to respond to every season of the heart, whether we are flourishing and fruitful, stark and dismal, or cool and windy. In comparing spiritual rhythms to the seasons of the year, he shows us what to expect from each season and how embracing the seasons causes our spiritual lives to prosper. As he draws on the powerful words of Scripture, Mark explores what activities are suitable or necessary in each season—and what activities are useless or even harmful in that season.Throughout the book, Mark weaves together stories of young and old, men and women, families, couples, and individuals who are in or have been through a particular season of the heart. As Mark writes, “I pray that this book meets you in whatever season you’re in, and prepares you for whatever seasons await. I pray that it helps you find your voice, your stride, your rhythm, in season or out. Mostly, I pray that you, with or without my help, find Christ wherever you are. And that, even more, you discover that wherever you are, he’s found you.”

A great international bestseller, the book in which, on the eve of the millennium, Pope John Paul II brings to an accessible level the great theological concerns of our lives. He goes to the heart of his personal beliefs and speaks with passion about the existence of God; about the dignity of man; about pain, suffering, and evil; about eternal life and the meaning of salvation; about hope; about the relationship of Christianity to other faiths and of Catholicism to other branches of the Christian faith.

With the humility and generosity of spirit for which he is known, John Paul II speaks directly and forthrightly to all people.

Years of reader evaluations yield a record of overwhelming positive teaching results. Teachers agree that The New International Lesson Annual gets highest marks for helping Christian educators in the classroom, making Scripture understood, relating Scripture to contemporary living, and challenging students to respond with positive actions. Based on the Bible study foundations of America’s leading ecumenical Bible educators and editors in the venerable Committee on Uniform Series.

Lessons for a full year include analysis by leading scholars, four quarterly Bible background articles, a Teacher Helps article, and helps put faith into action. The annual uses CEB and NRSV text.

"The aroma of God is being sensed throughout the earth, awakening those who God has ordained to carry forth the anointing of the dance in the earth."In the 21st century church, God is calling ministers of the dance in record numbers to fulfill His purpose-revealing His glory in the earth. This calling has prompted a myriad of questions in the minds of leaders and laypersons in the body of Christ.In Dance, God's Gift to You, Dr. Crawford presents a fresh, clear biblical understanding of how God views the dance, elaborating on how and why dance should be used in the worship experience. This book will answer many questions and help open the eyes of your understanding to: The origin and purpose of the dance How dance is used as a powerful weapon against the enemy How dance is used to restore and bring order out of chaos Why God takes pleasure in the dance How to pursue the presence of God through the dance The healing qualities of the dance What God expects of His ministers of the danceMay this book stir the gift of dance in you and cause you to "move out" in obedience to the call of God on your life!Dr. Caretha Franks Crawford is the founding pastor and apostle of The Gateway to Wholeness Church Ministries Largo, Md. She travels internationally preaching and teaching the gospel. Dr. Crawford is also the founder and CAO of In Pursuit of His Presence Worship Institute. She has a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education from Winston-Salem State University and has earned Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees. She is the CEO and publisher of Kingdom Greetings 4U(r), a line of handmade Christian greeting card

Many of us would love to hold the attention of a crowd, a classroom, or just a group of our friends by telling them a great story. We have felt the pressure of a public presentation or the disappointment of telling a story that others ignore. We are ready to be heard, ready to captivate.

In The Art of Storytelling, John Walsh takes us through the steps to presenting a compelling story—outlining the strategies that helped him move from stutterer to storyteller. This book will help any person with a story to share by walking you through all aspects of presentation . . . from what to do with your hands as you speak all the way to crafting a killer ending.

Whether you’re telling bedtime stories to your children or Bible stories to a congregation, this book will take your storytelling to a new level.

"To love [God] with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." –Jesus' words in Mark 12:33

Without question the crucial issue in living the Christian life is the condition of your heart. Actions may be temporarily deceiving, but ultimately our outward behavior will reflect what's inside, because our internal attitudes form who we really are. Those inner attitudes are also what God deems most important.

In this book one of Christianity's most respected Bible teachers and pastors examines the foundational attitudes, or "pillars," of Christian character as outlined in God's Word. Pillars such as genuine faith, obedience, humility, selfless love, forgiveness, self-discipline, gratitude, and worship.

To some degree each trait, on its own, marks a person as one of God's own and reveals an active, living faith. Each is an essential element of mature Christianity. But there is transforming power when you combine them in your everyday living as God commands. Your character will be grounded in godliness; you will see things from an eternal perspective; and your faith, your actions, your witness to others will be revitalized from the inside out.

We all have questions about Jesus, but very few of us get the answers we're looking for--if the answers even exist! New York Times bestselling author Eric Metaxas understands how hard it can be to get hard truths, which is why he wrote this hilarious, entertaining guide to the most influential individual to have ever lived on the face of the earth. Like his previous books in this style, Everything You Always Wanted to Know About God is a book that takes questions about the Son of God seriously enough to get silly--where appropriate. Metaxas covers questions about Jesus' life (Did he live at all?), his death, (If he truly was the Son of God, why did he have to die?), his resurrection, (Did Jesus really come back after death?), and much more.

TITHING NAILED TO THE CROSS is a book that cuts through all the opinions, traditions, superstitions, imagined benefits, and false doctrines, to clearly and doctrinally explain the absence of tithing in the New Testament.

Bruce plainly teaches why tithing is not required after the Resurrection (the beginning of the New Testament); how tithing can interfere with sonship, faith, and even salvation; and how tithing can expose you to the curse of the Law causing health, financial, marital, and many other problems.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to actually have your prayers easily answered because of Jesus’ finished work and the Name He gave us to use? Wouldn’t you like to know that God is going to say “yes” to His promises without you having to wonder if all your church ducks are in a row? And wouldn’t it be nice to have a royal ring put on your finger, a kingly robe placed on your back, and a big hug of approval without having to sleep in the bunk house as a “servant” until it’s decided that you can be trusted?

We may call it an “act of faith,” “obedience,” “doing the Word,” “good stewardship,” or what ever we want; but at the end of the day, it is nothing more than an obsolete, Old Testament ordinance that will only “frustrate the grace of God,” as Paul taught in Galatians. As circumcision became “nothing” under the New Covenant, likewise, tithing is no longer obligatory.

So, will you choose to develop a shaky faith based on the works of an Old Testament law that never should have been carried over to the New Testament? Or, will you choose to develop a resolute faith that is based on Jesus’ immutable work at the cross which included the removal of Malachi’s ordinances (tithing)? Will you go with the crowd, or the truth?

Scripture & the Mystery of the Mother of God will introduce you more deeply to Mary, the Mother of God, as your mother. Nine well-known Catholics, including Scott and Kimberly Hahn, Jeff Cavins, Tim Gray, and Leon Suprenant—open the pages of God’s family album (the Bible) to provide compelling explanations of Mary’s role in salvation history and in our daily lives as Christians. The result is a moving tribute and convincing testimony that demolishes common misconceptions about Catholic teaching on Mary. Includes material from Scott Hahn on the Luminous Mysteries and the biblical basis of the Marian Dogmas.

You’ll learn why the Catholic Church teaches that Mary was immaculately conceived, remained always a virgin, and was assumed body and soul into heaven. You’ll understand how Mary is the fulfillment of the Old Testament images. Most of all, you’ll discover what it means to be a child of Mary in the Church.

About the Catholic for a Reason Series: This benchmark series brings together the expert knowledge and personal insight of today’s top Catholic apologists on topics at the heart of the Catholic faith. Whether you’re a non-Catholic who wants to learn about the Church’s teaching, or a Catholic who wants to become a more articulate defender of the faith, the Catholic for a Reason series is for you.

Embracing the Prophetic will help equip and mature people in the prophetic. This will show you how the prophetic works to build, edify, encourage, and strengthen the Body of Christ. This is a book for all those who have questions regarding the prophetic gifting. There is a need for greater enlightenment and revelation for the prophetic to achieve a higher measure of excellence. We all need to be vigilant to recognize and hear the voice of God.

Thirty all-new, full-page, color illustrations and edited text for ease of reading make this the edition of John Bunyan's classic allegorical tale to own and to give.

For more than three centuries both Christians and non-Christians, young and old, have been fascinated by the characters and story of John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress: From This World to That Which Is to Come-regarded as one of the most significant works of English literature. While keeping the dignity and beauty of Bunyan's language, editor C. J. Lovik has updated words and phrases for today's readers.

This deluxe edition of Pilgrim's Progress, brought to life in forty all-new, full-page, color illustrations by award-winning illustrator Mike Wimmer, takes readers on a visually stunning journey with protagonist Christian as he seeks the Celestial City. Along the way, readers encounter Evangelist, Mr. Worldly Wisdom, the Interpreter, Hypocrisy, Watchful, Faithful, Talkative, Hopeful, Ignorance, and others. Through word and picture, readers will better understand the obstacles and encouragements they will face as they live out the Christian life this side of heaven.

A thought-provoking, original appraisal of the meaning of religion by the host of public radio's On Being

Krista Tippett, widely becoming known as the Bill Moyers of radio, is one of the country's most intelligent and insightful commentators on religion, ethics, and the human spirit. With this book, she draws on her own life story and her intimate conversations with both ordinary and famous figures, including Elie Wiesel, Karen Armstrong, and Thich Nhat Hanh, to explore complex subjects like science, love, virtue, and violence within the context of spirituality and everyday life. Her way of speaking about the mysteries of life-and of listening with care to those who endeavor to understand those mysteries--is nothing short of revolutionary.